For the first time this season, there has been a huge change atop the NBA Championship odds at online bookmakers! The Boston Celtics are no longer the favorites to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy, so who has taken over leading honors?
Will the Celtics manage to defend their crown, or is a newcomer ready to strike them down? Continue reading to find the winner odds, analysis, and my 2024-25 NBA Championship predictions!
NBA Championship 2024-25 Betting Odds
The following NBA 2025 winner odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +180 |
| Boston Celtics | +230 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +600 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +650 |
| Golden State Warriors | +900 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1100 |
| New York Knicks | +2500 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +4000 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +6600 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +8000 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +10000 |
| Houston Rockets | +15000 |
The Oklahoma City Thunder (+180) are the new betting favorites to win the 2024-25 NBA Championship! Two weeks ago, the Thunder and Boston Celtics (+230) were co-favorites to win the title at +220.
Now, the Thunder are the sole favorites to win their second title in franchise history and first since moving to Oklahoma. Currently, at +180, the Thunder have a 35.7% implied probability to win the Larry O’Brien!
It’s the highest they’ve been all season, but the Celtics bring more experience and are still regarded as one of the top contenders. The Celtics remain fully involved in the hunt to defend their title. They hold a 30.3% implied chance and are roughly 5% behind the Thunder.
The largest shift over the last two weeks has been the Golden State Warriors. With the Jimmy Butler trade helping improve their outlook, the Warriors have moved from +2200 to +900, or 4.3% to 10.5%!
You can find up-to-date NBA Championship 2024-25 odds at Bovada by navigating to All Sports > Basketball > NBA Futures > NBA Championship.
Favorites for the 2024-25 NBA Championship
The NBA Championship 2025 odds suggest that it’s a two-team race between the Celtics and Thunder. However, there are a slew of hungry teams behind them that will be eager to prove everyone wrong.
Let’s analyze the top favorites and their chances following the All-Star break:
Oklahoma City Thunder (+180)
- Head Coach: Mark Daigneault
- 2023-24 Record: 57-25 (Loss Conference Semifinals)
- NBA Titles: 1 (Seattle Supersonics)
- Key Players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams
The Thunder continue to impress bettors and public sentiment is way up on this team! They are currently lone favorites to win the 2024-25 NBA title. After opening the campaign at +900, the Thunder’s odds have dropped all the way down to +180 and have overtaken the Celtics at the top. As a result of a 16-3 surge over their past 19 games, the Thunder are the hottest team in the league.
Although the Thunder didn’t make any blockbuster signings in the offseason, they made key acquisitions to help bolster their depth. Center Isaiah Hartenstein joined the Thunder after spending the last two seasons with the Knicks.
He has provided the Thunder with strong defense and is a contributor on the offensive floor. Additionally, the Thunder acquired Alex Caruso in a trade for Josh Giddey in June.
Although Caruso doesn’t have the most impact on the stats sheet, he’s a solid veteran off the bench and his importance in the locker room can’t be fully quantified.
It’s also important to note that the trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams have had another year working together in Oklahoma. With a record of 53-12 and a double-digit lead over the Denver Nuggets, it has all come together in 2024-25.
Not only are the Thunder scoring on offense, but the defense is in elite mode. The Thunder are second with 106.9 points against per game, and lead the NBA with a 47.1% field goal percentage allowed! This is their ticket to the NBA Finals.
Joker says SGA is "really amazing" and deserves MVP if he doesn't get it 🤝
Who's your pick? 👀
(via @espn_macmahon) pic.twitter.com/vKVaREiyPE
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 11, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander is amongst the favorites in the NBA MVP odds, and having another standout season. The 26-year-old Canadian is on pace to record a new career-high in points. He has notched 32.7 points on 52.5% shooting while averaging 5.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game.
He’s only growing as a player, and the same goes for Holmgren and Williams. Chet has played in only 20 games but recently returned from a hip injury. “J-Dub” is also having a career season, with 21.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He is currently dealing with a hip injury, but it doesn’t appear to be a serious ailment.
The Thunder are going to be a problem in the West for years to come. The young core will continue to get stronger, which will position the Thunder as an NBA favorite for the foreseeable future.
Boston Celtics (+230)
- Head Coach: Joe Mazzulla
- 2023-24 Record: 64-18 (Champions)
- NBA Titles: 18
- Key Players: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis
After winning their 18th title in franchise history, the Celtics were inserted as the favorite to capture back-to-back championships. Despite the Thunder’s recent rise, the Celtics are still amongst the top favorites on the NBA Championship betting odds. The Celtics’ veteran leadership and experience in the playoffs can’t be understated.
Last season, the Celtics went 64-18 in the regular season and kept the train rolling in the postseason. Through four playoff series, the Celtics went 16-3! They didn’t lose more than a game in any series, including a sweep of the Indiana Pacers and a 4-1 win over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
In 2023-24, the Celtics were second in the NBA with 120.6 points per game. Additionally, the Celtics finished with the fifth-highest point differential of all time at 10.7 points per game! Since the mid 90s Bulls, only the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors had a larger gap.
Although the Celtics are off that pace this year, Joe Mazzulla’s squad still has a strong win margin of +8.7 points and a record of 47-18. Additionally, the Celtics are seventh, with 116.9 points per game, and third, yielding 108.2 points per game. These numbers aren’t the best in the league, but a small drop-off following a championship campaign was expected.
A CAREER NIGHT FOR SAM HAUSER 🙌
33 PTS (career high) | 9 3PM@celtics win 5 in a row 📈☘️ pic.twitter.com/dinWRSCtXP
— NBA (@NBA) March 11, 2025
After blowing a huge double-digit lead versus the Cavaliers, the Celtics have gotten back on track with a five-game win streak. They’ve gotten production from unlikely sources, including a 33-point effort from Sam Hauser.
Despite allowing the Cavaliers to come from behind, the Celtics are in top form in March. They’ve won 11 of their last 13 games, which includes a big 111-101 victory over the Lakers. Despite the recent success, the Celtics are 7.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the lead in the Eastern Conference.
That said, when the lights are the brightest this spring in the postseason, there isn’t another team that is going to be as experienced and well-rounded. They may not lead the standings, but the Celtics are the most trusted squad come the playoffs.
Cleveland Cavaliers (+600)
- Head Coach: Kenny Atkinson
- 2023-24 Record: 48-34 (Loss Conference Semifinals)
- NBA Titles: 1
- Key Players: Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley
The Cavaliers entered the break with +600 odds to win the NBA Championship. They continue to hold strong to win their first title since LeBron James helped lead the Cavaliers to the promised land in 2016.
That said, the Cavaliers aren’t getting any attention in the betting markets recently. Even though they’re on a 14-game win streak, the Cavaliers’ NBA Championship odds haven’t budged from +600!
Additionally, the Cavaliers have a 7.5-game advantage over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps the public isn’t completely sold on the Cavaliers yet.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the surprise team of the 2024-25 season. While most basketball pundits expected improvement from the Cavaliers, most didn’t foresee these outstanding results!
Amid a 14-game hot streak, Cleveland ranks first in the East (and the league) with a superb record of 54-10. At 84.4%, the Cavaliers have the best winning percentage in the NBA as well.
Kenny Atkinson’s squad has a slim advantage over the Thunder for the best overall record in the NBA. Additionally, the Cavs rank second, with a +11.4 margin of victory, and lead the NBA with 122.9 points per game this season.
The Cavs' last 14 games…
🔥 14-0 record
🔥 110+ points in every gameThe last team to do this was the '86 Celtics! pic.twitter.com/wk7aNXTt9V
— NBA (@NBA) March 10, 2025
The Cavaliers don’t have many holes, but their defense isn’t as strong in relation to their top competition. The Cavaliers are 10th defensively, yielding an average of 111.5 points per contest. They addressed this at the trade deadline by adding De’Andre Hunter in a deal with the Atlanta Hawks.
However, Hunter isn’t an elite defender who suddenly makes this unit better than the Celtics’ defense. They’ll have to buckle down and play like an elite team when the time comes in the playoffs.
Donovan Mitchell leads the Cavaliers in scoring, with 24.2 points per game on 45.1% shooting. He and emerging star Darius Garland have been a force in the backcourt. Garland leads the Cavs with 6.7 assists per game and is scoring consistently with an average of 20.9 points.
Additionally, the Cavaliers’ frontcourt is well-equipped with bigs Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. This is an all-around stout roster that should make some noise in the playoffs. Is it enough to oust an established Celtics squad, though?
Best Sleepers for the NBA Championship 2024-25
Before finalizing my early NBA Championship 2025 predictions, let’s look at two sleepers that have a chance to improve this season. Consider including these teams in your NBA betting strategy for the title in 2025:
NBA Championship 2024-25 Prediction and Betting Pick
Based on current NBA rosters and talent, the Boston Celtics remain the team to beat. This is essentially the same roster that won the 2023-24 title comfortably. All seven of their top contributors returned to the Celtics for the 2024-25 campaign.
There is one team standing in front of the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Aside from the Cavaliers, the competition is fairly manageable. Again, the Bucks are coming on strong, but the Celtics may have to suffer a big injury or two.
Boston blew a 22-point lead against the Cavaliers recently. However, note that the Celtics were short-handed and didn’t have much depth. They simply ran out of gas after getting out to a 25-3 lead in the opening quarter. Don’t expect the Celtics to make a similar mistake in the playoffs.
As far as the Thunder are concerned, I see them being another year away. The West is just too competitive, so even if the Thunder reach the finals, they should be depleted.
That’s why the Celtics remain the team to beat this spring in the postseason.
I recommend to continue putting your faith in the Celtics to win back-to-back titles! I also can’t ignore the value on the Bucks right now, so a small wager on Milwaukee makes a lot of sense at +4000.
Where to Bet on the 2024-25 NBA Championship?
NBA betting for the 2024-25 campaign is in full swing as the season approaches, so make sure to get your future wagers in now! Take advantage of the opening NBA Championship odds with the best prices at Bovada.
Place your NBA picks at one of the most reputable and highly-rated online sportsbooks! In addition to 2024-25 NBA title odds, Bovada will have prices for every matchup, live betting, and an assortment of prop bets available!
New customers can claim a 100% match bonus of up to $1,000 by simply using promo code BV1000 at Bovada!
Welcome Bonus
100% up to $1,000
- Wide-ranging sportsbook and live betting platform
- Top-notch poker room with numerous tournaments
You must be logged in to comment. Don't have an account? Sign up today.